Chicago blood donations needed as COVID pandemic wanes, cancer treatments resume: Red Cross

CHICAGO (WLS) -- With the COVID-19 recovery underway, cancer treatments are resuming, and there is a critical need for blood and platelet donations in Chicago.

Isis Chaverri from the American Red Cross joined ABC 7 Chicago Wednesday morning to talk about the need.

The American Red Cross and American Cancer Society have partnered to promote blood and platelet donations nationwide in the wake of the resumption of cancer treatments as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes in the United States.

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Early on in the pandemic, hospital visits and procedures for cancer patients were delayed or canceled because of the risk of exposure to COVID-19, according to the American Cancer Society. Now, as cancer treatments resume, hospitals are seeing a strong demand for blood products, including platelets to ensure cancer patients can undergo treatment.

Blood donation opportunities are available at various locations in Cook, DuPage, Lake and Will counties.

Donors must be in generally good health, weigh at least 110 pounds and be at least 17 years old, or 16 years old with parental consent.